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Diving into science for summer camp

Two manatees surface at Blue Spring State Park near a canoe carrying two students, Sara Felvus in front and Merci Clark in back, and teacher Rusty Norris during a summer camp outing Thursday, June 20, 2013, sponsored by Volusia County's Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet.

News-Journal / Linda Trimble

LINDA TRIMBLEEDUCATION WRITER

Published: Friday, June 21, 2013 at 3:34 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, June 21, 2013 at 10:58 p.m.

Two manatees poked their noses up from the water to catch a breath just as the canoe with Sara Felvus riding in the bow approached at Blue Spring State Park.

"They were really pretty; it was really cool," said Sara, who will have a tale to tell about her close encounter with Florida wildlife when she returns home to Marion, Kan.

Sara and 13 other youngsters spent last week in a day camp sponsored by Volusia County's Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet. The center is sponsoring camps for 10 weeks this summer and they're all fully booked.

"It's remarkable how popular our camps are," said Marine Science Center Director Michael Brothers, noting people start calling in January to coordinate their children's vacation plans with the schedule of camps that serve children ages 6 to 16.

That's the way it worked for G. Zarek, a Ponce Inlet artist who scheduled a visit for her twin granddaughters just so they could attend the Marine Science Center's camp. Ten-year-old Lilliana and Bella Dole live in McKinney, Texas, about 30 miles north of downtown Dallas.

"I wanted them to experience Old Florida and some fun water experiences," Zarek said. "They live in the city. They need fresh air and sunshine."

The girls got plenty of both as they joined a group of 9- to 12-year-olds checking out salt- and freshwater environments and learning about the creatures that live in both.

Evan Harrell, visiting from Oxford, Miss., to spend the summer with his father, said he signed up for the camp because "I'm interested in all kinds of science." His favorite activity came early in the week when the day campers learned to use seine nets in a Ponce Inlet estuary where Evan caught a couple of crabs.

"It's something I've never done before," Evan said.

Sara knew snorkeling around the boil at Blue Spring in Orange City would be her favorite activity of the week even before she slipped into the chilly spring water. Sara had snorkeled before and knew what to expect.

The children also spent time in the Marine Science Center lab, dissecting squid they used as bait later in the day to fish near the Port Orange bridge, where Sara hooked the largest trophy of the day – a 6-inch mangrove snapper.

They wound up their week learning about owls and eagles and dissecting owl pellets to find out what the birds eat.

Shell Webster, education coordinator at the Marine Science Center, planned a last-day cookout for the children and their families, where the day campers reported on what they'd learned about everything from box turtles to fish.

<p>Two manatees poked their noses up from the water to catch a breath just as the canoe with Sara Felvus riding in the bow approached at Blue Spring State Park. </p><p>"They were really pretty; it was really cool," said Sara, who will have a tale to tell about her close encounter with Florida wildlife when she returns home to Marion, Kan. </p><p>Sara and 13 other youngsters spent last week in a day camp sponsored by Volusia County's Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet. The center is sponsoring camps for 10 weeks this summer and they're all fully booked. </p><p>"It's remarkable how popular our camps are," said Marine Science Center Director Michael Brothers, noting people start calling in January to coordinate their children's vacation plans with the schedule of camps that serve children ages 6 to 16. </p><p>That's the way it worked for G. Zarek, a Ponce Inlet artist who scheduled a visit for her twin granddaughters just so they could attend the Marine Science Center's camp. Ten-year-old Lilliana and Bella Dole live in McKinney, Texas, about 30 miles north of downtown Dallas. </p><p>"I wanted them to experience Old Florida and some fun water experiences," Zarek said. "They live in the city. They need fresh air and sunshine." </p><p>The girls got plenty of both as they joined a group of 9- to 12-year-olds checking out salt- and freshwater environments and learning about the creatures that live in both. </p><p>Evan Harrell, visiting from Oxford, Miss., to spend the summer with his father, said he signed up for the camp because "I'm interested in all kinds of science." His favorite activity came early in the week when the day campers learned to use seine nets in a Ponce Inlet estuary where Evan caught a couple of crabs. </p><p>"It's something I've never done before," Evan said. </p><p>Sara knew snorkeling around the boil at Blue Spring in Orange City would be her favorite activity of the week even before she slipped into the chilly spring water. Sara had snorkeled before and knew what to expect. </p><p>The children also spent time in the Marine Science Center lab, dissecting squid they used as bait later in the day to fish near the Port Orange bridge, where Sara hooked the largest trophy of the day – a 6-inch mangrove snapper. </p><p>They wound up their week learning about owls and eagles and dissecting owl pellets to find out what the birds eat. </p><p>Shell Webster, education coordinator at the Marine Science Center, planned a last-day cookout for the children and their families, where the day campers reported on what they'd learned about everything from box turtles to fish.</p>